Austin Hackworth

[WElliott]

Southern longrifle fans may enjoy seeing these images of a rifle attributed to a seldom-encountered Tennessee maker, Austin Hackworth. 

The rifle has the initials "A H" on the barrel top, on an inlay behind the cheekpiece, and on the stock.  Since his initials appear on this rifle in three places, I speculate that this may have been Austin Hackworth's personal rifle.  There were two Austin Hackworths, father and son.  This rifle's maker, Austin Augustus Hackworth, was born in 1793 in Caroline County, Virginia.  (The senior AH was born in 1746, served in the Bedford County, Virginia militia during the Revolution, and lived to age 101).

The senior AH moved his family from Virginia to East Tennessee (near the Beans) shortly after Jr. was born. The family later moved down to Marion County, just NW of Chattanooga, and this rifle was presumably made there.  (Much of this information comes from Jerry Noble's 4th volume and from Jim Whisker's Tennessee book). 

62 1 /2" overall; 45" barrel, approximately .42 caliber rifled. It is iron mounted, excerpt for two brass bolt sideplates and four silver escutcheon plates on each side of the forestock. 

[Howard]

This is a very high standard impeccable  well made rifle.  I like it !!

[mbriggs]

Beautiful Wayne.

[Molly]

Such an outstanding rifle.  Might even provide sufficient reason for a collector to shift their focus to similar works.

[Cades Cove Fiddler]

  .. Thanx, Wayne,... I've never seen this one,... high-style Tennessee gun,... appears that barrel tang extends quite a way down over  the comb,... is there a photo of the tang,... ....
   

[WElliott]

Correct. The tang runs all the way back to meet the buttplate heel.

[wildcatter]

Another awesome rifle Wayne, thanks for sharing!
Matt

[WElliott]

I know very little about rifles made in the Chattanooga area, other than the typical Soddy Daisy style. As others have noted, the Hackworth rifle is a well-crafted rifle. It  hints of East Tennessee Mountain roots, but it has, perhaps, taken on a more cosmopolitan Chattanooga flavor. 

[BOB HILL]

That is one fine Southern rifle, Wayne, thanks for posting it.
 Bob

[WElliott]

Thank you, lady and gentlemen, for your kind comments.  The Hackworth rifle is not the sort of Tennessee rifle we see everyday, and I thought I should share it.  Molly, you and hubby should plan to come to the Tennessee show in Knoxville, April 12-13, 2019. The archetecture and ironwork on Southern "Mountain" rifles will grow on you. 

Below is a picture of the tang on the Hackworth rifle.  It is 13" long, extending back to the heel of the buttplate.

[Nordnecker]

Yessir- That's a stunning rifle. Are the sideplates brass? How much drop does it have? How long is the barrel. Tell us more. Thanks for posting.

[Craig Wilcox]

That is an outstanding piece of workmanship and artistic ability.  Love the swoop of the buttstock.

Hard to imagine all the things that happened in the first AH's lifetime!  Formation of a new nation, with completely different type of government.  Adaptation of the steam engine for the first trains, and also used in boats and manufacturing plants.  The Lewis and Clark expedition.  Opening the West with mountain men, then followed by the beginning of the great migration west.  just tons of stuff happening, and that man was a witness to all.

And his son certainly knew how to build a rifle!

[Marcruger]

That is a rifle to drool over.  Thank you for sharing that one with us.  God Bless,   Marc

[jdm]

Not what you would expect.    Butt....... I do love surprises !  Thanks for sharing.   Jim

[WElliott]

The drop is 4 3/4”.   It appears the 45” barrel has been shortened 1” at the muzzle.
The sideplates are brass. The buttplate and guard are iron.

[Sequatchie Rifle]

The Hackworth’s came to the Jasper area when the Indian lands opened up. They moved part of the family down the Tennessee river with my family and cleared land along the river. I believe he was a member of the Masonic Lodge in Jasper. My cousin claims to have one of his rifles that passed down the their line. I have yet to see it.

[WElliott]

Sequatchie, that is a wonderful connection your family had to the Hackworths!  I look forward to learning more.

[bgf]

Thank you for letting us see this.  Elegant without even risking gaudy, an excellent mountain rifle! 

The area that rifle is from always produces interesting specimens, too.  Smith's moved into area from several distinct, mature gun building regions and the styles were organically combined in short order.

[Sequatchie Rifle]

Living close to the “Old Hog Road” and the Tennessee river encouraged competition and ingenuity. There was a rail line that ran up the valley from Pikeville and connected to the Huntsville and Memphis lines in Bridgeport. On down the river is Guntersville, on the downstream side of the old rapids. Between Bridgeport and Scottsboro was Creektown where thrived a wonderful trading center with the Indians well before the railroad. You could float from the East Tennessee mountains all the way to the settlement in Nashville as the Donelson party did and avoid traveling the old Walton road and Avery traceover the plateau where Indians hid behind every rock!

[Shreckmeister]

Living close to the “Old Hog Road” and the Tennessee river encouraged competition and ingenuity. Their was a rail line that ran up the valley from Pikeville and connected to the Huntsville and Memphis lines in Bridgeport. On down the river is Guntersville, on the downstream side of the old rapids. Between Bridgeport and Scottsboro was Creektown where thrived a wonderful trading center with the Indians well before the railroad. You could float from the East Tennessee mountains all the way to the settlement in Nashville as the Donelson party did and avoid traveling the old Walton road and Avery traceover the plateau where Indians hid behind every rock!

Was Guntersville a settlement of surveyors?

[Sequatchie Rifle]

Guntersville had a ferry and a salt mine I believe. Gunter established excellent relations with the local Cherokees and I think he married the daughter of a chief.